Fenix flashlights. With which "headlamp" for camping?

In the films, the protagonist who wanders through the forest or dark corners of cities at night usually holds a flashlight in his hand. Perhaps it is more effective this way. But it is more convenient to attach the flashlight to your forehead - of course, not only when your life is like an action movie, but also at the campground or during the evening jogging.

We tested three Fenix "headlamps" for you, i.e. headlamps. At first glance, they do not differ in any great way, or at least not so much that the differences in appearance justify the differences in price. That is why we decided to check in more detail what is behind the individual models.

Fenix HL 15 flashlight

This is the cheapest flashlight in the tested set. The price - PLN 130 in the Polish distributor's shop - clearly distinguishes them from the cheapest "Chinese food", but compared to professional flashlights, the price seems quite attractive. What can we expect from the HL 15?

This is a basic flashlight with a light output of 200 lumens . The maximum range is 50 meters . And that's really enough if, for example, we want to perform basic activities on a motorhome. In ordinary, everyday use, we do not usually need strong and distant light, but we will appreciate other advantages. First of all, this "headlamp" is very light, it weighs only 60 grams without batteries, and about 83 grams with batteries.

During the test, we appreciated the red LEDs that can either glow continuously or blink. Thanks to them, we can be more visible, for example when we walk along the roadside after dusk or during an evening bike ride.

The housing is made entirely of plastic. The flashlight comes with a strap with the addition of silicone . Thanks to this, the flashlight, when mounted on the head, remains stable and, despite the "feather" weight, does not move.

The flashlight is powered by AA batteries or rechargeable batteries . Unfortunately, it cannot be charged via USB, which means that we must always remember to carry spare batteries or a charger with access to electricity. A certain inconvenience may be the fact that when the lamp is not slightly tilted, the buttons are half covered with a plastic cover, which makes it difficult to start.

The flashlight is waterproof to a minimum extent - i.e. it should withstand a short immersion in water up to a depth of 1 meter. Its maximum working time is 58 hours.

Fenix HM50R flashlight

We like this model the most. Its price tag is double that of the base model, but for good reason!

The weight of this flashlight is similar to that of the HL 15, but its power can be up to 500 lumens! In turbo mode, the lamp will illuminate the space up to 80 meters ahead. In conditions where a long beam of light is needed with a low weight of the device, this flashlight will work perfectly. Such a large amount of light means that it can be used, for example, during night snowboarding in winter.

The HM50R model can be charged using a micro-USB cable, which in practice is a very convenient solution. The flashlight also has a battery indicator . The big advantage is also a solid aluminum housing , which ensures resistance to dust and complete immersion in water, even under pressure.

The flashlight stays firmly and steadily on the head. The disadvantage is that this model only has a continuous white light - there is no emergency, blinking LED. The set includes, among others charging cable and an additional seal for the battery.

The maximum lighting time on a single charge is 148 hours with a CR123A battery or 90 hours with the built-in power supply.

HL60R torch

This is the most expensive (PLN 330) and at the same time the heaviest of the tested devices. Even without the battery, it weighs 121 grams and when worn on the head for a long time, you can already feel this weight.

What do we get in return? First of all, the maximum lighting power of up to 900 lumens , as well as resistance to permanent immersion in water. It should also withstand a fall from a height of 1 meter.

This already shows that it is a flashlight designed for extreme situations. It will be useful during mountain climbing or people actively practicing sports. The HL60R model is equipped with a capacious battery that lasts up to 100 hours of operation .

The device can be charged via USB . The headlamp has 6 operating modes , including 5 white light modes and the Red Light mode , which illuminates the surroundings with a red glow. In practice, the flashlight provides diffused light that illuminates each side and provides high brightness.

The casing, as in the case of its predecessor, is made of aluminum, and the set includes a third head strap , thanks to which the "headlamp" is even more stable. The strap, however, unlike in the other sets, is not rubberized.

Despite the undoubted advantages, we recommend this flashlight primarily to lovers of long trips or extreme sports at night. The HL 15 models will perform better in everyday conditions, and above all our new favorite - the HM50R.